After some encouragement from others desiring to see my journal on this experience, I am sharing my journal notes from an exercise in prayer, listening for God rather than talking. I encourage you to spend an extended period of praying to God to know Him more and then listen for Him, patiently, and with not only your mind or your ears open, but all of your senses to how He may want to communicate with you. Here's Day 1:
Praying to know God—to see His face, to know Him more…
Day one:
In prayer today my mind wandered a bit and staying focused on God rather than self was difficult, but as I struggled, a rain-soaked chunk of soil entered my thoughts. Dark black dirt bleeding water beside a stream poured through my heart. Though plain and dirty, grass grew lush green on the banks, and the mud and muck screamed life. God creates. He uses muck to produce life and beauty. The darkest, dirtiest soul, once saturated to bleeding out living water glorifies the Creator with the beauty of fresh life.
He breathed life into all—into me. My breath is the breath of God our Creator—Who created everything. What then shall I breathe but God and His word, that I may inhale Christ and exhale life to a suffocating world? Sola Deo Gloria!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Yada -- Knowing God More Day 2
Day two:
Today again, my thoughts were running wild rather than listening for God. I sat outside, and with my eyes closed, every twitch or breeze set my mind on thoughts of bugs hopping all over me. Then I thought and perhaps boasted to God that at least I’m not like those legalistic folks who feel they need to pray on their knees. Then God said, “Submission.” I quickly understood this was God’s intention for me to learn of Him today, but while Jesus submitted to His Father, is God really the face of submission?
“Get on your knees.”
Surely that’s Satan playing with my mind. I’m not legalistic and I’m quite comfortable praying in the chair.
“Submit.”
“Got it…I kneeled.”
I am prideful even with no one around. After getting on my knees God brought to mind bigger submission failures on my part. Submission is the key for today. Follow His prompting. Don’t wait for God to explain Himself or beg—just submit in humble obedience.
Kneel. Pray. Write. Tell.
Today again, my thoughts were running wild rather than listening for God. I sat outside, and with my eyes closed, every twitch or breeze set my mind on thoughts of bugs hopping all over me. Then I thought and perhaps boasted to God that at least I’m not like those legalistic folks who feel they need to pray on their knees. Then God said, “Submission.” I quickly understood this was God’s intention for me to learn of Him today, but while Jesus submitted to His Father, is God really the face of submission?
“Get on your knees.”
Surely that’s Satan playing with my mind. I’m not legalistic and I’m quite comfortable praying in the chair.
“Submit.”
“Got it…I kneeled.”
I am prideful even with no one around. After getting on my knees God brought to mind bigger submission failures on my part. Submission is the key for today. Follow His prompting. Don’t wait for God to explain Himself or beg—just submit in humble obedience.
Kneel. Pray. Write. Tell.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Yada -- Knowing God More Day 3
Day three:
It’s taken me a couple of days to revisit this exercise. The delay could be blamed on “busyness” and fatigue, but truthfully, after two “wow” days of God revealing Himself, I feared what would come next. In my mind, I expected that I couldn’t be and don’t deserve to be in tune with God every day. What if God is silent and won’t talk to me? How would I interpret that?
He was not silent. Today—He is not silent still. When I sat to pray, fatigued and pessimistic about prayer this morning, He reminded me of our chats earlier this week and led me back to my knees. The breeze on my face reminded me of His breath and as I turned to my knees, He gently blew on my back.
Encourager.
He didn’t waste any time this morning, as if anxious to let me know—God has my back. God you are in me and with me and as I breathe in your Spirit and submit to your instruction, you encourage my soul. In His Word God told Abram to get up from His father’s house, go to the land “which I will show you…And I will bless you.”
No matter what stands before me, Lord you permeate me, you instruct and guide me; you encourage me. With the One who created everything so involved with me, what fears then should I have—only the reverent fear of God to listen for His voice, Wisdom.
It’s taken me a couple of days to revisit this exercise. The delay could be blamed on “busyness” and fatigue, but truthfully, after two “wow” days of God revealing Himself, I feared what would come next. In my mind, I expected that I couldn’t be and don’t deserve to be in tune with God every day. What if God is silent and won’t talk to me? How would I interpret that?
He was not silent. Today—He is not silent still. When I sat to pray, fatigued and pessimistic about prayer this morning, He reminded me of our chats earlier this week and led me back to my knees. The breeze on my face reminded me of His breath and as I turned to my knees, He gently blew on my back.
Encourager.
He didn’t waste any time this morning, as if anxious to let me know—God has my back. God you are in me and with me and as I breathe in your Spirit and submit to your instruction, you encourage my soul. In His Word God told Abram to get up from His father’s house, go to the land “which I will show you…And I will bless you.”
No matter what stands before me, Lord you permeate me, you instruct and guide me; you encourage me. With the One who created everything so involved with me, what fears then should I have—only the reverent fear of God to listen for His voice, Wisdom.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Yada -- Knowing God More Day 4
Day four:
I Am Infinity.
“Meow!” And I Am a joker—Infinite humor! Sending a cat
up behind me, You might as well have just said, “Boo!”
I Am Infinity.
“Meow!” And I Am a joker—Infinite humor! Sending a cat
up behind me, You might as well have just said, “Boo!”
Friday, October 21, 2011
yada -- Knowing God More Day 5
Day five:
I’d been flying since 7 AM and gained three hours coming to the West Coast. I then drove around 40 miles into Los Angeles, only receiving two honks and one exasperated gesture.
After getting checked into my hotel, I decided to go for a bite to eat at a Burger King in walking distance. I’d only had coffee and a muffin within the last 10 hours and was hungry.
Why do I note this?
After getting my meal, God prompted me to give it to a homeless man passed out on the side of the road. After walking towards him, away again, back and away, with a war of thought in my mind, I dismissed God as merely self-imposed guilt from recent discussions of the homeless. Besides, I was hungry!
God is compassion! I am not! I’m still working on submission. Lord, in the past week, I’ve prayed like a Pharisee, and shown the lack of compassion as a Pharisee! How wretched am I?!
Still You are with me. Abraham gave Sarah to another and still you were with him. I’m reminded also having realized I’m checked into room 777. God, You don’t just have compassion on the homeless, but on me as well. Everyone needs compassion, forgiveness of a savior. Thank you for your compassion. Forgive me please of my callous, rebellious heart. I pray today for a heart of submission filled with compassion for others.
I’d been flying since 7 AM and gained three hours coming to the West Coast. I then drove around 40 miles into Los Angeles, only receiving two honks and one exasperated gesture.
After getting checked into my hotel, I decided to go for a bite to eat at a Burger King in walking distance. I’d only had coffee and a muffin within the last 10 hours and was hungry.
Why do I note this?
After getting my meal, God prompted me to give it to a homeless man passed out on the side of the road. After walking towards him, away again, back and away, with a war of thought in my mind, I dismissed God as merely self-imposed guilt from recent discussions of the homeless. Besides, I was hungry!
God is compassion! I am not! I’m still working on submission. Lord, in the past week, I’ve prayed like a Pharisee, and shown the lack of compassion as a Pharisee! How wretched am I?!
Still You are with me. Abraham gave Sarah to another and still you were with him. I’m reminded also having realized I’m checked into room 777. God, You don’t just have compassion on the homeless, but on me as well. Everyone needs compassion, forgiveness of a savior. Thank you for your compassion. Forgive me please of my callous, rebellious heart. I pray today for a heart of submission filled with compassion for others.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
yada -- Knowing God More Day 6
Day six:
God is affectionate. Sometimes He doesn’t want to say anything. He just wants to give a big hug. I’ve been struggling in my emotions lately and after babbling a bit in prayer, God gave me a hug—unexplainable to a point, but it was not as if I was in some hallucinatory state or physically hugging myself…somehow God’s arms were around me in hugging fashion and I knew it. I know Jesus used the sense of touch in His ministry on earth; He still touches today! His Spirit is within me, yet also around me, with me, touching me and comforting me. I can’t wrap Him up with crisp, pretty paper in a package with a nice ribbon, but somehow in prayer this morning, I know He hugged me because I needed it and because that was His desire.
God is affectionate. Sometimes He doesn’t want to say anything. He just wants to give a big hug. I’ve been struggling in my emotions lately and after babbling a bit in prayer, God gave me a hug—unexplainable to a point, but it was not as if I was in some hallucinatory state or physically hugging myself…somehow God’s arms were around me in hugging fashion and I knew it. I know Jesus used the sense of touch in His ministry on earth; He still touches today! His Spirit is within me, yet also around me, with me, touching me and comforting me. I can’t wrap Him up with crisp, pretty paper in a package with a nice ribbon, but somehow in prayer this morning, I know He hugged me because I needed it and because that was His desire.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
yada -- Knowing God More Day 7
Day seven:
The Way, the Truth and the Life.
I noted this morning in Genesis 46 how Jacob sent Judah ahead to show the way to Goshen. In the same fashion, the Lion of Judah was sent ahead to show us the way to salvation from spiritual famine and death. (He went ahead to conquer death and show us the way!)
In prayer, God kept directing me back to “the way.” I knew I had just noted this in my reading so I asked God to shut up my thoughts that I may see Him today. Do I not believe He speaks through His word?
The Way—The Way, the Truth and the Life. “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14) God is Trinity. I can attribute the components of the way, truth and life to the Son, Father and Holy Spirit; but they are all three all three. The Trinity is a great mystery to me, yet I know more clearly today that Jesus, who is the Word, is God the Father revealed to me from the Spirit indwelling my heart and directing my response to the Word.
Jesus is the Way!
The Way, the Truth and the Life.
I noted this morning in Genesis 46 how Jacob sent Judah ahead to show the way to Goshen. In the same fashion, the Lion of Judah was sent ahead to show us the way to salvation from spiritual famine and death. (He went ahead to conquer death and show us the way!)
In prayer, God kept directing me back to “the way.” I knew I had just noted this in my reading so I asked God to shut up my thoughts that I may see Him today. Do I not believe He speaks through His word?
The Way—The Way, the Truth and the Life. “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14) God is Trinity. I can attribute the components of the way, truth and life to the Son, Father and Holy Spirit; but they are all three all three. The Trinity is a great mystery to me, yet I know more clearly today that Jesus, who is the Word, is God the Father revealed to me from the Spirit indwelling my heart and directing my response to the Word.
Jesus is the Way!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
yada -- Knowing God More Day 8
Day eight:
Seed. Seed? God, You are seed? A small, hard nut producing life in the right conditions?
When a seed is planted in good dirt (kind of oxymoronic, right? Rich filth, fertile filth, righteous mud….) given water and sun, it breaks forth from its burial to brilliant life. It uses the soil, yet there is nothing dirty about a daisy other than from where it is rooted.
I am righteous clay with God’s holy seed planted in the depths of my dirt, fed by His Word—the Son, the living water; and pruned by the Gardener, the Father. Another view of the Trinity in a single seed.
Seed. Seed? God, You are seed? A small, hard nut producing life in the right conditions?
When a seed is planted in good dirt (kind of oxymoronic, right? Rich filth, fertile filth, righteous mud….) given water and sun, it breaks forth from its burial to brilliant life. It uses the soil, yet there is nothing dirty about a daisy other than from where it is rooted.
I am righteous clay with God’s holy seed planted in the depths of my dirt, fed by His Word—the Son, the living water; and pruned by the Gardener, the Father. Another view of the Trinity in a single seed.
Monday, October 17, 2011
yada -- Knowing God More Day 9
Day nine:
It’s so noisy in here this morning. The TV is pounding a dark song through the house, through my thoughts, my attempts to pray.
To the back deck I must go! God, the birds won’t shut up out here—I can’t concentrate this morn----
Wait. The TV had orchestration from man—dark and ugly music. These birds have incredible songs! Incredible morning music orchestrated and directed by the One who created music. Listen to the symphony! God, this music is so cool! I want my music to resonate Your song because it is not my music but Yours placed in my soul.
It’s so noisy in here this morning. The TV is pounding a dark song through the house, through my thoughts, my attempts to pray.
To the back deck I must go! God, the birds won’t shut up out here—I can’t concentrate this morn----
Wait. The TV had orchestration from man—dark and ugly music. These birds have incredible songs! Incredible morning music orchestrated and directed by the One who created music. Listen to the symphony! God, this music is so cool! I want my music to resonate Your song because it is not my music but Yours placed in my soul.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
yada -- Knowing God More Day 10
Day ten:
Why worry? God provides.
Easier said than believed. In my darkest heart I believe God's providence is insufficient--like coriander cakes when I crave meat. God sustains me; my wanton desires stretch me thin. Why do I struggle with faith that God's manna is enough? He is the bread of life; God, You are my bread of life. Please, God, sustain me even as my sinful appetite hunts for variety in my diet--food that will make me ill in my greed and steal the life You have breathed into me.
Why worry? God provides.
Easier said than believed. In my darkest heart I believe God's providence is insufficient--like coriander cakes when I crave meat. God sustains me; my wanton desires stretch me thin. Why do I struggle with faith that God's manna is enough? He is the bread of life; God, You are my bread of life. Please, God, sustain me even as my sinful appetite hunts for variety in my diet--food that will make me ill in my greed and steal the life You have breathed into me.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
yada -- Knowing God More Day 11
"Day eleven:
I am the Lord your God."
He is my lawgiver and judge.
"I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God."
God saved Israel but still burned in anger when they sinned. Sin angers God.
Lord, may I desire You and revel in your commandments rather than pursuing my own gods and laws; that I may be as Caleb and Joshua, ready to enter Your rest by Your power and grace.
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.
I am the Lord your God."
He is my lawgiver and judge.
"I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God."
God saved Israel but still burned in anger when they sinned. Sin angers God.
Lord, may I desire You and revel in your commandments rather than pursuing my own gods and laws; that I may be as Caleb and Joshua, ready to enter Your rest by Your power and grace.
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Writer's Block: Change of Venue
October 14, 2011
Writing exercises can often jog the pen when it seems dry.Change the venue. Where do you normally write? Is it a quiet, secluded space? Nature? A desk? Is your normal spot more active like a coffee shop, the middle of a college campus or a mall cafe'? Go to the opposite extreme and just write without worry of what you're writing for--without any inhibitions of grammar like trailing prepositions; or should it be a comma or a semi-colon or semicolon or semi colon. Just write what comes alive in your new space!
I recently sat down to write in the middle of a shopping mall while my son went to his favorite shops. The conversations I overheard, the actions of individuals feeling unnoticed in the crowd, kids with their parents and parents to their kids--the field was ripe for character traits and attributes to incorporate into characters in my book!
Sometimes a quiet place can keep you from getting distracted, to focus better on what you write. Perhaps the interaction of wind with a leaf clinging to its branch in October is enough material for you to write for ten minutes.
Change your venue and write, write, write no matter what comes out!
In Christ, Andy
Spiritual Block: Read and Listen
Sometimes we have struggles keeping in step with the Spirit. I seem to be going through the motions sometimes going to church, praying for dinner, saying, "God Bless you," when someone sneezes. You could list a few going-through-the-motions activities yourself--I could list many more here, but the purpose of this block is to offer exercises in getting back in touch with the Holy Spirit--to find life in Christ and Kingdom living here on earth now!
Choose a book from the Bible. If you normally find yourself in the New Testament, choose one from the Old; if you normally find yourself in the Old, choose one in the New. Divide the number of chapters by 30 and read that many chapters per day. Pray before reading for God to open His word to your mind for the day. Then read intently. After reading, pray to God, listening for Him and what He brings to your mind of what you just read. Be patient and as your mind may get distracted, direct your thoughts back to what you just read and listen for Him. Now journal your thoughts for future reflection and reminders of God's voice.
In Christ, Andy
Word Play
Ex squared bee twelve
A two zeta alpha omega man
H two oh Henry
Carbon two oxygen
Bee six Be one
Two Einsteinium one isotope two
Three fours Five
Split, expolosimplosion
Hydrogen one fire, fire split the one
to two four, xenon phenom
Cardbon die H too Oh
Oh no....what?
A two zeta alpha omega man
H two oh Henry
Carbon two oxygen
Bee six Be one
Two Einsteinium one isotope two
Three fours Five
Split, expolosimplosion
Hydrogen one fire, fire split the one
to two four, xenon phenom
Cardbon die H too Oh
Oh no....what?
yada -- Knowing God More Day 12
Day twelve:
Clean. Pure. God, You breathe life into all life. Therefore, life itself is clean and pure, holy--sacred. Death is unclean, dirty, unrighteous and rebellious. Life screams love. Death screams nothing. Life abundant sheds entanglement with sin and death, solely focussed on the Giver of life--our clean, pure, holy, perfect God, the Wellspring of life.
Clean. Pure. God, You breathe life into all life. Therefore, life itself is clean and pure, holy--sacred. Death is unclean, dirty, unrighteous and rebellious. Life screams love. Death screams nothing. Life abundant sheds entanglement with sin and death, solely focussed on the Giver of life--our clean, pure, holy, perfect God, the Wellspring of life.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
yada -- Knowing God More Day 14
Day fourteen (Psalm 29):
Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in holy array.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
The God of glory thunders, The Lord is over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful,
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
And Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the deer to calve
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everything says, "Glory!"
The Lord sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as King forever.
The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.
NASB
Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in holy array.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
The God of glory thunders, The Lord is over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful,
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
And Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the deer to calve
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everything says, "Glory!"
The Lord sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as King forever.
The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.
NASB
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Honor God
In the garden, Jesus wrestled in prayer with feelings of the coming torture, persecution and crucifixion. He knew the Father's will, but He also knew the coming physical pain and spiritual pain of bearing the weight of our sins.
Ultimately, Jesus chose to honor God through obedience. He did not go to the cross, though, kicking and screaming. He did not go as a child being dragged from an arcade. He went with an attitude of worship, with a love for God and for us. He went with His eyes set on the glory before Him--us reconciled to God through Him!
When God commands, do I obey? More importantly, do I obey with an attitude of love for God and others, or do I comply reluctantly as if doing what He asks is a grind?
"I'm doing what God wants. Woe is me! Eyore, eyore!"
Does that attract the world to Jesus? What if my attitude in obedience is one of love for others, for God? What about a heart that loves sacrificing for those in need?
What means more to one in a hospital bed--the child visiting because a parent has dragged them in to see a relative or the child who has dragged the parent to give a personally-made card to the sick relative? What means more to this world: a Christian dragged by God to those in need or a Christian dragging a Father to show those in need a home-made display of affection, care, of love?
Honor God through obedience because obeying God impacts the world through our actions and attitudes.
To God be the glory...to God be all the glory!
Praise Jesus!
Amen!
Ultimately, Jesus chose to honor God through obedience. He did not go to the cross, though, kicking and screaming. He did not go as a child being dragged from an arcade. He went with an attitude of worship, with a love for God and for us. He went with His eyes set on the glory before Him--us reconciled to God through Him!
When God commands, do I obey? More importantly, do I obey with an attitude of love for God and others, or do I comply reluctantly as if doing what He asks is a grind?
"I'm doing what God wants. Woe is me! Eyore, eyore!"
Does that attract the world to Jesus? What if my attitude in obedience is one of love for others, for God? What about a heart that loves sacrificing for those in need?
What means more to one in a hospital bed--the child visiting because a parent has dragged them in to see a relative or the child who has dragged the parent to give a personally-made card to the sick relative? What means more to this world: a Christian dragged by God to those in need or a Christian dragging a Father to show those in need a home-made display of affection, care, of love?
Honor God through obedience because obeying God impacts the world through our actions and attitudes.
To God be the glory...to God be all the glory!
Praise Jesus!
Amen!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Greatness
What Is Greatness?
Matthew 20:20-28James and John's mother sought greatness in the kingdom for her sons from Jesus. Did Jesus chastise them for such grandiose aspirations? No. He did let them know they were off target as to what greatness is, but he did not chastise them. Rather, He went on to explain greatness in His kingdom.
So what is this greatness? Ironically, the way to greatness in the kingdom is the way of humility. Jesus does not preach of false humility--the kind that after doing something awesome, one says, "Aw shucks, anyone could've done that really. It was nothing special." If God was in it, it WAS something special!
The humility to which Jesus refers is one of putting others first. To be great is to treat others greater. To be a "master" is to be a slave to THE Master. Jesus is calling us to greatness, but not to push ourselves to the top, but to lift up others. Jesus gave His life as a ransom for us. In other words, He gave His life to free us from the bondage and condemnation of our sin. In the same manner, we are to give our lives to free others from the bondage of sin, revealing to them through our service the freedom in Christ!
Who can you lift up this week? What can you do to serve them? How is God calling you to act as a slave of Christ? How can you give your life to another this week to reveal the freedom found in Christ?
Do something great!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Some Character Traits of God
Limitless
Kind
Forgiving
Slow to anger
Giver of freewill
Giver of things to think about
He knows me personally
Father
Power
Creative
Kind
Forgiving
Slow to anger
Giver of freewill
Giver of things to think about
He knows me personally
Father
Power
Creative
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Grand
I urge to something grand
grand papa funk skittle de bop
Oder grand hole in the ground
or grand odor of heart
Grand dreams
Ahhhh
the grand illusion of memory
foretelling of thought
grand future beyond grand designs
THE GRAND DESIGN
Grand despair of hope
in the grand canyon of soul
Spirit-filled grand glory of hallelujah
Grand glory of God
within, around, surround
Grand stereo of angels, of demons
Grand self and desire
Grand mash of conviction beneath
the finger upon the weight of the stars
upon the sun, the planets, the world
upon the grand hole in heart
seeking the grand fill
the void, grand beneath the skull
Filled by Him Who lifts the soul, the spirit, the body
the world, the stars, the atoms, the quarks
nothing more grand than the Grand
of all, in all, be all, over all, all in all
Gloria grand gloria, glory of divine
The Divine
Grandest glory of human heart spirit mind
grand papa funk skittle de bop
Oder grand hole in the ground
or grand odor of heart
Grand dreams
Ahhhh
the grand illusion of memory
foretelling of thought
grand future beyond grand designs
THE GRAND DESIGN
Grand despair of hope
in the grand canyon of soul
Spirit-filled grand glory of hallelujah
Grand glory of God
within, around, surround
Grand stereo of angels, of demons
Grand self and desire
Grand mash of conviction beneath
the finger upon the weight of the stars
upon the sun, the planets, the world
upon the grand hole in heart
seeking the grand fill
the void, grand beneath the skull
Filled by Him Who lifts the soul, the spirit, the body
the world, the stars, the atoms, the quarks
nothing more grand than the Grand
of all, in all, be all, over all, all in all
Gloria grand gloria, glory of divine
The Divine
Grandest glory of human heart spirit mind
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